black female gamer fills gap in lacking representation in the ‘sims’

The best Christmas I ever had was 2012. I was 12 and my parents had bought me a brand spanking new HP desktop running the Windows XP so I could play The Sims 2: Hot Date (thanks, mom and dad). Since then, The Sims has done nothing but level up in every way. And even though the Create-A-Sim function is so much more conscious of gender identity than previous installments, there’s at least 5 textured hair style options, and a not-quite human array of skin tones, there’s still much to be desired for non-White gamers. In steps Amira Virgil, creator of The Black Simmer, an online forum for gamers who design and download representative creative content and mods to expand their Sims universe.

One of Amira’s content packs is the popular ‘Melanin Pack’ that includes an expanded range of realistic skin tones.

“I’ve been playing The Sims since I was about 11 or 12 years old,” Amira said. “I’ve always noticed, well, that there’s no hairstyle that looks like a hairstyle for me. Or skin-tones that accurately depict my skin-tone.

As a little black girl, to grow up and see that you’re not represented anywhere, even in the video games that you play, that’s hard. We’re here, we play the games, and we need a little bit more.”

Created by: @crown-queen-bambee
Skintone: @xmiramira
Eyeshadow: @savagesimbaby
Eyeliner: @pralinesims 
Lashes: @kijiko-sims
Blush: @estrojans
Lipstick: remussirion
Created by @morenosims
The Black Simmer
The Black Simmer
The Black Simmer
The Black Simmer